An Act relative to boater safety to be known as the David Hanson Act

This bill creates a new Boater Safety Program Fund in Massachusetts to support safety initiatives for people who operate boats and paddlecraft. The fund will be financed by collecting 75 percent of fines and penalties related to boating violations, with the remaining 25 percent going to the law enforcement agencies that issued the penalties. Money in the fund can be used without needing additional state approval to run safety training programs, equip law enforcement for accident investigations, and provide grants to local communities for boating safety activities. The legislation also updates legal definitions to clarify the roles of the Office of Law Enforcement and establishes a requirement for annual reporting on how the fund is used.